Page 230 - Week 01 - Thursday, 18 February 1993
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MR CONNOLLY: Madam Speaker, this is an issue that has been agitated for some time. I have some initial concerns about the equity of a straight user pays regime because the so-called free allowance does at least spread the burden. I can advise Ms Szuty that I am having some work done within ACTEW to prepare a paper looking at various options for methods of charging for water, with a focus not just on economic efficiency but very much on social justice and equity. Merely to move to a user pays regime may save water, because it could put an enormous economic incentive on people not to use water, but it may be inequitable because a family with a number of children may face a massive bill and they may be in straitened circumstances. So there is a balancing act there between equity and saving water. We are having some work done on it, and in due course that work will be published to facilitate community debate.
High-Tech Industries
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Chief Minister. I note the Chief Minister's concern about high-tech industries in her statement in the house the other day. The Chief Minister should know that the Queensland Labor Government has been attempting to poach internationally recognised high-tech companies away from Canberra and the region with incentives such as - dare I say it again - reduced payroll tax or no payroll tax, cash and marketing support, and rental subsidies. What has she done or does she intend doing to ensure that these companies and jobs remain in Canberra and the region?
MS FOLLETT: It is a good point that Mr De Domenico has raised, Madam Speaker. It is indeed the case that in looking at getting new industries and new businesses into the ACT, and in some cases in trying to retain existing industries and businesses in the ACT, we do find ourselves sometimes in competition with other States or other municipalities who are very anxious to attract that kind of industry. As far as the ACT goes, we have a positive policy of promoting the ACT as the computing capital of Australia and we have put a lot of effort into marketing the ACT in that fashion.
To address the general question Mr De Domenico has raised, my advisory council, EPACT, is preparing a paper for me on this very subject at the moment and that work is well advanced. When that paper is completed it will be available for the whole community and this Assembly to look at and to consider. It is a serious matter for a government to give concessions, to give financial incentives, to a private business. When we do that, we have to be very certain that it is in the interests of the community generally that that occur.
There are a range of incentives, a range of attractions, that governments can offer. They range from things such as grants of land, relief from taxes, as Mr De Domenico has pointed out, and financial assistance, assistance with rent and establishment costs, and so on. That is the range of proposals EPACT is currently studying. As I said, I will be happy to put that paper before members in due course. One of the ways in which the Government does attempt to continue to attract and retain businesses here is to keep in touch with them.
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